House Report 108-792
Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 4818 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 108TH CONGRESS 2d Session
MAKING APPROPRIATIONS
FOR FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS FOR THE FISCAL
YEAR ENDING
CONFERENCE REPORT TO ACCOMPANY H.R. 4818
The conference agreement on the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act incorporates some of the provisions of both the House passed and the Senate reported versions of the bill. Report language and allocations set forth in either
House Report 108–542 or Senate Report 108–341 that are not changed by the conference are approved by the committee of conference. The statement of the managers, while repeating some report language for emphasis, does not negate the language referenced
above unless expressly provided herein.
Sec. 332. The conference agreement modifies the language proposed in section 331 of the House bill providing guidance on competitive sourcing activities and clarifying annual reporting requirements to specify the reporting of the full costs associated with sourcing studies and related activities. The Senate had a similar provision in section 329 of the Senate bill.
House Report 108-542
For three years, the Committee has been concerned about the absorption of pay costs, storm damage, anti-terrorism requirements, competitive sourcing activities and other mandates from the Department and the Office of Management and Budget for which funds have not been provided, or provided at the expense of core operating programs. This has begun to have a major impact of the parks' ability to operate, despite the $500,000,000 in additional operating funds provided by the Committee over the last ten years. The Committee understands the need for fiscal constraint during times of war and high deficits, however, that can be accomplished by focusing limited resources on basic operational needs and core programs--not by creating new initiatives and expanding non-essential programs…
The Committee remains very concerned about how the Forest Service has implemented the `Competitive Sourcing' initiative. The Committee has looked into this issue in detail and found a number of cases of mismanagement of this effort. Accordingly, this issue is addressed once again in bill language, included under Title III--General Provisions, limiting the use of funds for competitive sourcing efforts and providing certain other guidance. The new language will allow competitive sourcing efforts to continue, but limit the cost to $2,000,000. More importantly, language is included in Title III which recognizes that past mistakes have been made and obviates the Forest Service from continuing expensive monitoring and recompeting previous sourcing efforts, which should have never been contemplated.
The Committee recognizes that the Forest Service is engaged in two large
efforts to improve administrative functions through detailed and expensive
business process reengineering of financial services and human resources. The
Committee supports efforts to improve in these areas, but it is concerned that
the efforts may not be adequately documented and open to public scrutiny.
Therefore, the Committee directs the Forest Service to provide quarterly
reports on business process reengineering efforts and to provide a detailed
blueprint, schedule, and funding proposal for these efforts by
Senate Report 1018-341
SEC. 329. Continues, with certain modifications, language included in the fiscal year 2004 Act which limits the amount of funds available for the conduct of competitive sourcing studies. The Committee has not continued language imposing unique reporting requirements on Interior bill agencies, as very similar annual reporting requirements were mandated on a government-wide basis in the Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2004. The Committee has also not included language placing additional limitations on conversion to contractor performance. The Committee expects these issues will be addressed on a government-wide basis as part of the Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2005, and sees no compelling reason to impose limitations that may be inconsistent with the contents of that Act.